Dear Sir,
As some of your readers may know I have been unable to fulfil my parish duties for a little while as I have been recovering from an operation which is taking longer than I ever imagined it would. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who has shown such love and concern for me in this challenging time. I sincerely hope to be out and about in full action again fairly soon.
Thoughts of health have been rather prominent in my mind of late. I have been advised that I need to take care of my body if I am to slow down the time until I might need a more serious operation. That certainly concentrates the mind! I have always been a fit and healthy person and in almost every way I am pleased to say I still am. But we cannot escape our own mortality and that should always inspire us to think about how we live our lives.
For me that means giving up my role as a full time vicar earlier than I had planned. I will be retiring early next year in the interests of my health. It means that my time in Newton Aycliffe will have been a much shorter one than I had hoped. I could wish that circumstances had been different but there are many things in life over which we are not in control.
Once I am back in action I intend to make the most of my last few months in this job. Thank you again to everyone who has been so understanding and supportive.
Rev’d Chris Pearson
Team Rector,
Parish of Great Aycliffe
